Why is revenge NEVER justified?

Question

My friends were having a chat about revenge the other day and they could only think of why revenge is justified. But it got me thinking. Why is never justified. We all agreed that it's not, but we think revenge is fun.

So....my question is Why is revenge NEVER justified???

You can add examples too if you want

Answer 1

wth are you talking about. i love revenge.

Answer 2

Don't confuse revenge with justice or accountability, both of which are not only justified but expected.

The only reason I can think of why revenge is not justified is that everyone makes mistakes and therefore no one is perfect and has the right to vengeance. Again, though, I DO strongly believe in accountability, culpability, and justice.  

Answer 3

Revenge generates more enemity, then more revenge. Then it becomes a never-ending vicious cycle, and everyone suffers.

Forgiveness sometimes seemed hard, but (hopefully) it puts an end of all evil things. Only then can harmony be achieved.

Ex: If the Montagues and the Capulets forgive each other long ago instead of fighting each other all the time, Verona can be a peaceful town, and innocent souls such as Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, and Tybalt would be spared. That's the moral Shakespeare is trying to show us: revenge can even destroy love, another exceptionally strong force of humanity.

So, hatred or love----which one do you chose? You know the answer.

Answer 4

Who's the idiot claiming it isn't? Some guy in a chat room?

Answer 5

Ever heard of Karma? well the rule is, what goes around comes around. So the fact is, there's no need for revenge cause the person that avenges for anything will have the bad energy coming right back at him.

The best revenge is simply to let them pass by.......their own negative energy will get them eventually.......

Good luck

Answer 6

Like, an eye for an eye?

The reason a person might take revenge on someone is because they have suffered an injustice. It's decided that the offender behaved unethically, and agreed that what they did was wrong. To do something equally unethical back would be unjust on the part of the victim.

That doesn't mean there should be no consequences for wrongdoing, but if everyone begins punishing others unjustly, then society will break down and there will be no justice period because there is no one to uphold it.

Also, revenge isn't about justice, it's about emotions. The motivation behind it isn't to bring about justice it's to make the other person feel pain and hurt. That's never justified no matter what.

Answer 7

I would say it's never justified because it's not our job to judge someone else and take action on it. I am a fairly religious person, so this is just my opinion, but I do believe that it's up to God to decide how a person's actions are to be rewarded or punished. Obviously when it comes to something like murder, prison seems like a good temporary solution until they meet the man upstairs...lol.

Answer 8

Maybe a better question is, why is revenge EVER justified? Under what grounds is revenge justified? Or is it cut and dry? You hurt me, so I hurt you.

Or, why not take it further? You attack my country, I attack yours. You kill thousands of my people, I kill thousands of yours? - Do you see the problem yet? You know, it many cultures, if you "disrespect" the man of the family, he has the right to kill off your whole family. The Thracians were that way.

I think the best question is WHY is revenge ever justified? Its not. If you honestly believe that revenge is quantified, justified and should be encouraged, you need to do alot of reading about what revenge really means.

Answer 9

The only reason I can think of is because if something happens we are told to give it to God and let him take care of it for us.  

Answer 10

Dude, revenge is a *****.

And im not even sure.

I wan to know too.

When people do S**t to me, I get them right back,

with everything I have.  

Answer 11

its not justified because like for example if someone does something bad to you so you decide to do something back to them well its just making you act the same way as the other person. its hypocritical basically to say you cant believe that they did this to me but then turn around and do something of the same nature back to them.

Answer 12

Sometimes, it is

Answer 13

revenge is fun but its not write,cause most people get in trouble when they get revenge but its really the other persons fault and u get blamed for it :(

Answer 14

I can justify it pretty well when i need to!

Answer 15

revenge can be fun

but it is never justified

because it comes back to you

you are doing a wrong with wrong

and your soul is never happy

Answer 16

I guess revenge is never justified because it's nothing more than a waste of your time.  Whatever you put into thinking about revenge could be better spent on something worthwhile.

Besides, revenge is childish and can be dangerous.  It's so much better to walk away with your integrity intact.

That's not to say that if karma intervenes you cannot take smug satisfaction in it!  But don't dwell on it!  No good for the soul.

Answer 17

I think revenge is necessary in some aspects of life because the death penalty in a nut shell is basically revenge. Eye for an eye but Gandhi said "eye for an eye leave the whole world blind".  I think us as humans when hurt by someone in turn want to make that person who hurt you feel the same pain you felt......so I think revenge is a natural part of life but its not a positive thing. But i know if someone killed my child or rape my child....Revenge would be an order.  So its up to the individual.

Answer 18

revenge is ALWAYS justfied.

I am a firm believe that revenge (as the saying goes) is a dish best served cold.

However, just make sure that what you are avenging is justfied as well, for example...

someone beats & rapes my sister...oh yeah, you better believe that guy who did it has a death wish now.

someone hits my car in the parking lot and drives off, eh? get his plate number and call the cops;

I believe that revenge is always justified, it just depends on the severity of the situation.  

Answer 19

"Justification" is one of several important excuses we give ourselves to do what we want when WHAT we want is socially useless. (Others are alibis, lies, etc.). The difference between an "excuse" and a "reason" is that "reasons" are reasonable and contribute TO the community. While an "excuse" is our attempt to get ourselves off the hook, often at the expense of others, relationships, etc.

Dr. Alfred Adler spoke of "private logic" (the reasoning you use to put yourself ahead of other people) as "sociallyl useless behavior." And he spoke of "common sense" as the wisdom we share as a community, right ways of thinking and acting, which are "socially useful."

(Hang on...I'm getting there!)

His student, Dr. Rudolph Dreikurs, took Adler's idea of "belonging" in childhood and expanded it to include four specific ways children seek to belong: To belong by gaining affection, attention REVENGE, and "display of inadequacy." I use six and change them a bit:

Belong by affection (being loved)

Belong by attention (being noticed)

Belong by approval (being appreciated for contributions)

Belong by control (having a say in things thast affect me)

Belong by fairness (being treated equally, treating others equally...the golden rule) THIS is my replacement for "revenge" which is an attempt to "hurt others as I feel I've been hurt by them."

Belong by help (giving and receiving when needed)

Can revenge be justified? Sure...because justification is a socially-useless way to support our own wants rather than the good of others.

Is it a good idea to seek revenge? Probably not.

Best wishes to you and your thinking friends...  -- Dr. Bob, Adlerian Psychologist